Cornstarch

Cornstarch, corn starch, or cornflour in the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand and Australia, is the starch of the corn (maize) grain obtained from the endosperm of the corn kernel. It has a distinctive appearance and feel when mixed raw with water or milk, giving easily to gentle pressure but resisting sudden pressure. It is usually included as an anticaking agent in powdered sugar (10X or confectioner's sugar). For this reason, recipes calling for powdered sugar often require at least light cooking to remove the raw corn starch taste. Corn starch or cornflour is also used as a thickening agent in soups and liquid-based foods, such as sauces, gravies and custard. As the starch is heated, the molecular chains unravel, allowing them to collide with other starch chains to form a mesh, thickening the liquid.